-Lendl's leather grip gets sweaty, so he reaches into his pocket and grabs a handful of sawdust.
-He rubs it up and down the handle so the sawdust absorbs the moisture and dries it out
-He thoroughly rubs the sawdust off the handle, motioning up and down many times so the dust is fully removed.

-Was it specially prepared, extra-fine sawdust sourced from Bosworth and made to Boz's specs?
-How did it not leak through his pockets or fall out during play?
-Wouldn't the residue on his palm interfere somewhat during grip changes and strokeplay?
-Was the sawdust cleaned up after every change of ends? (hardcourts/indoors)
-Did players and officials ever take issue with it? (hardcourts/indoors)

I do remember they had to clean it up sometimes. But, I only ever saw them do it near the baseline, where he stood to serve. Don't know if there was ever an instance were there was enough somewhere else on the court to warrant a clean-up.

Back in the days when players used leather grips it was standard that the tournament had a container of sawdust either on the umpire's stand or somewhere near it for the players to use. Bozworth was not in the sawdust business.

I recall other players complaining about the sawdust on the baseline after a changeover. I suspect he regarded that as a bonus reason for keeping his grip dry that way.

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Yup. Here's a little quote I dug up in which Pat Cash (somewhat fondly) recalls his displeasure with Lendl's sawdust. Ivan acknowledges he was aware it was annoying for the other players. Ivan had an obsession for towels too. If there was a towel out of place anywhere within his line of vision, he'd yell at a ball boy to remove it. I think maybe these two idiosyncrasies were expressions of the same need to feel in control of the environment.

[..]

Quote :

CASH: If we had a time machine and go back a little bit--

LENDL: You have one?

CASH: No, I don't have one. I am working on it.

LENDL: So then I could start my career again in golf, so I don't ever have to give up.

CASH: That is true. But you had a pretty good career in tennis. We played a couple of matches together and I was surprised at how hard you hit the ball. I think you hit the ball in some shots a lot harder than I ever seemed to play.

LENDL: I work out more. I have these golf exercises that I do (ph)

CASH: Really?

LENDL: Yes, my shoulder is a lot stronger than before.

CASH: And if you had to go back and play me again in the Wimbledon final, what would you do? Is there anything you would do differently?

LENDL: I don't know that I could. It was always a very difficult time of the year for me. I was many times close to tears thinking I would pack up the bags and leave during the two weeks before Wimbledon after the French, because it was such a difficult transition for me. In those days I had to serve and volley because of the movement on the grass was so difficult for me, I want a natural mover.

CASH: One thing I noticed was, wow, this is a really slippery court.

LENDL: I did not notice that. I was used to slipping because I used to throw sawdust on the court.

CASH: Yes, you did all the time, I wanted to say, Excuse me, can you come and clean this off. I don't know if that annoyed you more.

LENDL: Well what annoyed you was I would reach in the bag and throw some more.

CASH: You would do that. It's amazing we ever finished a match. By the way, it is really good seeing you.

LENDL: I am glad you had a good time in Czech Republic, maybe we can play together one day.

Thank goodness no one uses sawdust any more. Imagine if tennis manufacturers started selling it the way they do strings. We'd have several "gauges" of sawdust, different wood types, hybrid packets of sawdust...

We'd have threads asking what the best sawdust is for a beginning player, how often should I change my sawdust, how long can I store my sawdust before it goes bad, and which top players are getting new sawdust contracts. We'd probably even see one that said "Player A" has never been the same since he changed from pine to hickory.

Thank goodness no one uses sawdust any more. Imagine if tennis manufacturers started selling it the way they do strings. We'd have several "gauges" of sawdust, different wood types, hybrid packets of sawdust...

We'd have threads asking what the best sawdust is for a beginning player, how often should I change my sawdust, how long can I store my sawdust before it goes bad, and which top players are getting new sawdust contracts. We'd probably even see one that said "Player A" has never been the same since he changed from pine to hickory.

Thank goodness science finally went high-tech and invented the towel.

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It would be tough to pj. "He's using blacked out sawdust, lowes is gonna tear his contract up!"

Thank goodness no one uses sawdust any more. Imagine if tennis manufacturers started selling it the way they do strings. We'd have several "gauges" of sawdust, different wood types, hybrid packets of sawdust...

We'd have threads asking what the best sawdust is for a beginning player, how often should I change my sawdust, how long can I store my sawdust before it goes bad, and which top players are getting new sawdust contracts. We'd probably even see one that said "Player A" has never been the same since he changed from pine to hickory.

But really I'm waiting for the day Nike releases a Dri-Fit hand towel designed to be tucked into the front of one's shorts. You know, like the players used in the 70s and 80s. The kids will go wild for that and they will sell like crazy, with Rog and Rafa's logos on them.

Thank goodness no one uses sawdust any more. Imagine if tennis manufacturers started selling it the way they do strings. We'd have several "gauges" of sawdust, different wood types, hybrid packets of sawdust...

We'd have threads asking what the best sawdust is for a beginning player, how often should I change my sawdust, how long can I store my sawdust before it goes bad, and which top players are getting new sawdust contracts. We'd probably even see one that said "Player A" has never been the same since he changed from pine to hickory.

Yup. Here's a little quote I dug up in which Pat Cash (somewhat fondly) recalls his displeasure with Lendl's sawdust.

Click to expand...

Surprisingly fondly! From some of the things I've heard those two (well, Cash at least) say, and given how little either strikes me as tolerant and forgiving, I would not have imagined them sitting down together. Time reveals our grudges for the pettiness they always were, I guess.

Ivan had an obsession for towels too. If there was a towel out of place anywhere within his line of vision, he'd yell at a ball boy to remove it. I think maybe these two idiosyncrasies were expressions of the same need to feel in control of the environment.

That interview between Cash & Lendl shows the subtle, dry humor side of Lendl that lots of folks don't know, didn't see, or realize. Made me chuckle.

BTW, suede is just the rough side of a leather hide / grip. Most folks use the smooth side out. I tried the suede side years ago, and haven't looked back. I scoff at your overgrips and synthetics that wear out in three hours ( or less ) !

Split leather is leather created from the fibrous part of the hide left once the top-grain of the rawhide has been separated from the hide. During the splitting operation, the top-grain and drop split are separated. The drop split can be further split (thickness allowing) into a middle split and a flesh split. In very thick hides, the middle split can be separated into multiple layers until the thickness prevents further splitting. Split leather then has an artificial layer applied to the surface of the split and is embossed with a leather grain (bycast leather). Splits are also used to create suede. The strongest suedes are usually made from grain splits (that have the grain completely removed) or from the flesh split that has been shaved to the correct thickness. Suede is "fuzzy" on both sides. Manufacturers use a variety of techniques to make suede from full-grain. A reversed suede is a grained leather that has been designed into the leather article with the grain facing away from the visible surface. It is not considered to be a true form of suede.[3]

Thank goodness no one uses sawdust any more. Imagine if tennis manufacturers started selling it the way they do strings. We'd have several "gauges" of sawdust, different wood types, hybrid packets of sawdust...

We'd have threads asking what the best sawdust is for a beginning player, how often should I change my sawdust, how long can I store my sawdust before it goes bad, and which top players are getting new sawdust contracts. We'd probably even see one that said "Player A" has never been the same since he changed from pine to hickory.

Thank goodness science finally went high-tech and invented the towel.

Click to expand...

You're right
I can even hear people saying "Federer needs some bigger sawdust" !
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